Trump rules out Bessent as AI czar

President Trump said Friday he will not appoint Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to lead a new federal artificial intelligence post, writing on Truth Social that Bessent "doesn’t want to" to be the "Super Intelligence (SI) Czar." Trump said he prefers to keep Bessent at Treasury, calling his performance there "great."

By AI Newsroom· Reviewed by Pranav, Founder & Editor-in-ChiefPublished about 2 hours agoUpdated about 2 hours ago0 views

Why It Matters

The comment comes as the administration fleshes out a proposed AI leadership role and an "AI Force," signaling White House priorities for managing AI development and geopolitically sensitive AI issues while clarifying who will not fill the position. Bessent has been a prominent administration voice on balancing industry competitiveness with safety and on U.S.-China AI discussions, so his exclusion shapes expectations for how the role might be staffed and steered.

Key Facts

Who ruled out the pick: President Donald Trump
Person ruled out: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Where statement posted: Truth Social
Phrase used by Trump for AI role: "Super Intelligence (SI) Czar" (previously called "AI czar")
Reason given: Bessent "doesn’t want to" and is "doing such a great job at Treasury" according to Trump’s post.

President Trump said on Friday that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not be tapped to lead a newly proposed federal AI post, after media reports suggested Bessent’s name was under consideration. In a Truth Social message, the president said Bessent would not be the "Super Intelligence (SI) Czar" because he "doesn’t want to," and added that he prefers to keep Bessent in his current Treasury role.

The White House has been framing the position as a senior official to oversee the technology’s development; Trump originally called it an "AI czar" before urging officials to use the term "super intelligence" or "SI." He also indicated the administration envisions an "AI Force" likened to the Space Force, though details on the structure and operations of the proposed body have not been disclosed.

Bessent has become a visible voice for the administration on artificial intelligence this year, advocating both for U.S. competitiveness in the sector and for safety measures amid emerging cybersecurity risks. He publicly commented on developments such as Anthropic’s Mythos model release and has been involved in U.S. discussions with China on AI, including a U.S. proposal for a notification system ahead of President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Trump.

Earlier this year, Bessent took a tough stance toward China after U.S. officials concluded Chinese AI firms could be taking proprietary information from U.S. models, with the administration threatening sanctions over those allegations. The former holder of a similar role, venture capitalist David Sacks, left the White House after his special government employee term expired; Sacks remains influential as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

Trump has not named a replacement or said who he is seriously considering for the AI position. When announcing the role last week, the president said, "Only High I.Q. individuals need to apply!" but provided no further detail on how the new post would differ from previous advisory roles.